ad

This time last year I was really going through a storm and spilled my heart in a blog post. Some of you may have read that post and some of you may have not, but either way, I am in a much better place this year than I was last year. I don't believe that I will ever truly be "over" the trauma of my childhood, but I am ready for new doors to open and old doors to close. I think that sometimes we need to open those past doors in order to move forward and doing that was more difficult that giving birth to my two children. I am so thankful for my blogging friends!!! I have become closer to many of you than I have my own family and I am blessed by all of your lives, input, funny stories, quirky personalities, your giving hearts, honesty, your tears, and your friendships!! Thank you for being such a blessing in my life!!

NOW..... for this year's party to get started!!!

The discount code at my Etsy shop has been activated and I also marked down my TpT shop 15% off all day today!! Happy savings to you!!

Although discounts are nice, I thought a birthday game would be even better!! I have put together a list of things about myself below and it will be your job to determine what is true and what is NOT. Who knows, you might not know me as well as you thought...hahI will go through the answers over the next couple of days and announce the winners in Monday's post!! Those of you with the highest number of correct answers (at least a 70% - ha) will be placed in numerical order and I will use the number generator to choose a number from the list. ONE LUCKY WINNER will "blog" away with EVERY SINGLE ITEM FROM MY TPT SHOP!!!!!The number and correlating name will be announced on Monday!!!! Good luck everyone!!!!Answer TRUE or FALSE for each question. Number the questions in the comments below with your answers in a list format. Example:1 -T2 - T...Q&A - SO you think you know The 3AM Teacher???You have 15 questions to answer - GOOD LUCK!!!1. My first job was at a Ma' and Pop specialty chocolate shop called, Chocolate Florist. I learned how to make naughty chocolate pieces.2. I made $4.75 an hour at my first job.3. I once showed up at high school wearing flossy panties and walked around for about 30 minutes, before realizing that my skirt was tucked up.4. I was in acting, singing, and dancing growing up & I performed in more than 7 plays through CYT. I wanted to be a "fly Girl" on the comedy show, In Living Color".5. My very first date to a Homecoming dance in high school was with a boy named, Broken-Bow Arrow. 6. I can contort my tongue into the shape of a flower.7. Punky Brewster was my favorite television series as a young girl.8. In 7th grade I went on a class field trip to a small theme park and I was too short to ride the bumper cars.9. I was the only girl on a Roller Hockey team in middle school.10. I was the choreographer for my high school dance team.11. I can not resist a bowl of Vanilla Bean ice cream.12. I sprained my ankle while trying to show off while at the gym (in my late 20's) by doing a front hand spring. 13. I grew up in San Diego, California.14. I was in and out of foster care until I was 8 years old.15. My first kiss was in 7th grade with a boy whose initials were (are), BMW.I thought I would treat you to some embarrassing photos of myself throughout the years...

My favorite grade to teach is

Kindergarten, so I thought it appropriate to include my Kindergarten picture.

Below: Yep, that's me...or at least me hair...hahaha

This is the year I had my son in my Kindergarten class. He is the cute blonde who is front and center.... My students always worked hard, learned hard, & played hard!!

I am as wacky as my hair I tell ya!!

Me and the Mister wearing a couple of the hats from HIS mother's fantastical hat collection!!

Spa day in the living room with cucumbers....my son truly does enjoy the finer things in life...my daughter, not so much.. she keeps things simple and honest!!

I always had a mural I was working on in every house we lived in.....

Memories of teaching will ALWAYS be in my heart!!

The family.

Mrs. T & BUBBLE GUM.... WOWEE......

OOPSIES! That was bound to happen...hahaha

Who says pretty has to be perfect!!

Life in the fast lane.... in my office...in front of a computer screen..haha

My signed copy of AWAKENING by my blogging buddy, Angela Watson!! What a precious gift!!

UMMM... Seems like everyday is a messy hair day this year!!

Puttin' on the poundage and the staches at the Cheesecake Factory for a bloggy meet up!!! Love ya Linda Kamp!!

Have a great weekend everyone!! Good luck!! You MAY grab and use the 'stache below...enjoy!!

Happy birthday, Michelle! Thanks for sharing all the pics (I love pictures, too, and try to take them daily). BTW - your hair is awesome (mine is straight and BORING! HA!). And I say TRUE to all of them also! Sounds just like you....fun and loving! Hope you have a wonderful day, sweet friend!

Thank you so much - you are the SWEETEST!! I wanted straight hair ALL through school! I went to a private school until 8th grade and I was the only one competing with the personality of my hair....bwahahaha!!

I love hearing more about you.....I love thinking that you are my friends, even though we've never met. No... I'm not a stalker! My guess is that all answers are yes....the only one that I'm not sure about is your first Jon's pay..... That seemed a little high to me! Patty

Ok, I am such a dunce! Now that I read back what I wrote, I can see that it would have been better to have been wearing my classes while typing that on my phone! Way too many typos! My first job was for 80 cents an hour, (but that was oh about 40 years ago!)Happy Birthday. . . You so deserve to be as happy as a clam!Patty

You are so amazing and I can't tell you in words how much your friendship means to me!!! Thank you so much!!!...and the kiss...may or may NOT be true...I am keeping a tight lip on this one until tomorrow..hahaha

You are too funny!!!! Thank you for the sweet love and B-day wishes!! I was hoping there would be some amazing blogger cruise where everyone from everywhere could come together...but after all of the controversy with the cruise ships lately, I am thinking we might need to resort to a virtual field trip..hahahaha

Thank you so much AMY!!! You are as juicy and sweet as a peach on a hot summer day!! hahaha. I am needing to be creative with my thank you's..tehehe. Have a GREAT weekend and a beautiful year...shopping sounds good....I think I might have a side of that today..haha

Ok here goes nothing. I shouldn't have allowed myself to read the other comments first! Some of my answers may have been changed due to cheating on my part, since I'm new around here. 1-5 True6 False7-10 True11 False12-15 Truereyesremarkablerants at gmail dot com

WOWIE WOW! I cannot believe how awesome you are :) Thank you so much for offering this absolutely amazing giveaway. I am always happy when I purchase your things and would literally die from excitement if I won EVERYTHING in your store. You are a true inspiration Michelle, thank you for all that you do. I do not want to bring up the past, but I just want you to know how much you have touched my life with your story. You are the perfect you. Thank you again for this chance to win!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!

Hugs and loveKhrysKeepinitkoolinkinderland.blogspot.comKool.in.Kinderland@gmail.com

Happy Happy Happy Birthday to you! What a great giveaway! I think the answers to all the questions are True! I love your birthday cake!And your pictures are adorable! Have a great day!Cherylcrayonsandcurls(at)gmail(dot)com Crayons and Curls

Oh man - I thought I was going to be original saying that all of them were true and now I see that I am not the only one. Oh well -that was what I was thinking before I read the comments so I'll stick with it - TRUE for everything! Have a very happy birthday!!!! You have a beautiful family and I love your hair :)

Happy birthday to you! I would be frighteningly excited to win this awesome giveaway! Here are my answers. All true except: 5 and 9Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway!KatieI Want to be a Super Teacherkatiebaxsmith@gmail.com

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday my Dear, Sweet Michelle!" (and that was in my best wedding singer voice!!!)Your giveaway is fantastic! I see many other teachers have answered already but I just wanted to stop and wish you a very happy day! You are such an inspiration to so many of us that follow you! Thank you for that! Love and Hugs!JulieMs. Marciniak's First Grade Critter Cafe

Happy, Happy Birthday! I love birthdays! It's the only day that is all yours!I love the idea of your birthday giveaway and the T/F questions. I enjoyed your photos. I love seeing others' pics...says the person who hasn't posted any personal pics...I've been using your blog for a long time... Your hair is so fun! I had a girl in my class that had the same curls as yours and I always adored them. My hair is straight as a board. I'm not good at T/F (because I always second guess)...but here goes..1. T2. T3. T4. T5. F6. F7. T8. T9. F10. T11. T12. T13. T14. T15. T

1.T (Just seems to odd not to be true. If it isn't you are very creative.)2.T (That's a tough one because there was a lot of adjustments to minimum wage at that time)3.T (I am sorry)4.T5.T6.F (but if it is true I want to see pics)7.T (Who didn't love Punky?)8.T9.T10.T11.T12.T13.T14.T15.T

What a FABULOUSly fun way to celebrate your birthday! Hope you've had a great day celebrating! Thanks for sharing all of your pictures! My favorite question was the Fly Girl - I too wanted to be a Fly Girl!! I think my talents are better suited in the classroom! Punky was my favorite & I was always WAY too short to ride the rollercoasters. Pretty sure if I wasn't old enough to drive now, I'd need a booster :) My guess is that they're all true!

Happy Birthday to you...What a fun give a way....Well I don't think that would be a nick name anyone would tell someone that had, I also don't thing a tongue can look like any flower, if yours can I can't wait to see a picture, and I don't think they had roller derby teams in high school, but I could be oh so wrong. Thanks again, Lisa, Reno, Nevada bratpaklj@yahoo.com1-T2-T3-T4-T5-F6-F7-T8-T9-F10-T11-T12-T13-T14-T15-T

You are truly an inspiration!! I am so happy to hear that you are in a better place than you were at this time last year. I really enjoyed reading your questions. Even though some of them are super crazy....after reading some of the other guesses I am going to go out on a limb and say that they are all absolutely true. I hope you have a fantastic birthday!!

Hey beautiful!! I tried to do a little research on you before I answered these questions ;) I also read your heartfelt post on your birthday last year... you are such an amazing wonderful woman and I feel so blessed to have you in my blogging life! Thank you so much for your generosity and just your energy that is contagious. Xo I was thinking one of them was false, but I am going to go with all true.. amazing facts about a beautiful lady!!! BoudLS89@Yahoo.com

THis is even better than the Two Truths and a Lie game. Reading your list makes me realize how boring my life has been. Here's my guesses (and a bit of commentary!)

1. T (tmi...but was this freeform?)2. T3. T (I have no idea what flossy panties are!)4. T5. T6. T (Ok, in a pinch I could call my rolled tongue a calla lily, so am hoping you can do something better, like a clover!)7. T (I am definitely older...did not like her at all!)8. T9. T10. T11. T12. T13.T14. T15. T

I just read your comment in my inbox and I had to see who had the same B-day and age as me!!! That is weird!! I have a lot of friends who were born either the day before or the day after me, but never on the same day....and the same year!! Maybe we are long lost twins...except you have blonde, straight hair and I have "jerry" curl...bwahahha..

Happy Birthday right back at you!!!Just out of curiosity, where did you grow up??

Happy Birthday!! This was so much fun!! I too think they are all true and that you must be one awesome person to hang out with!! Number six is throwing me off a little bit... but I will go for all true. Just so I play by the rules... :)